Finding Home
by Teal06
Summary: Takes place not long after A New Beginning season 6 Cloud Dancing and Dorothy search out their feelings for one another. But now that Dorothy has declared her love, will Cloud Dancing decide to move back to his own people?
1. Chapter 1

"It's not brave, it's selfish, it's what I want." Dorothy's words echoed in her mind. She'd told Cloud Dancing she'd follow him anywhere, give up everything, all she knew, just so they could be together. He'd called her brave. But she knew she wasn't brave. She was afraid of what life might be like without him. She couldn't dare to think of it—except now she had been thinking of nothing else for the past week.

Cloud Dancing had been given the right to live where he wanted in the town, and come and go as he pleased. He had been given freedoms other Indians didn't have. She had been so excited at first, thinking of their lives together. No, it wouldn't be easy. The town would take some time to get used to them as a couple. Maybe they'd never get used to it. She might lose the Gazette. She might lose some friends. But they'd be together, and that was all that mattered. Or so she thought.

It had been two months since Cloud Dancing had been given his freedom, and she had seen little of him. At first she had made him dinner every night. At first they would sit outside her the back porch, sharing his cloak, talking about his future, his plans to build trade between the whites and the Indians. But now, she hadn't seen him in two weeks. Could it be she had over stepped a boundary? Had she thought more of his kiss, his touch than were really there? Had he decided their relationship was better off as friendship?

Doubts besieged her. If only she could see him.

She watched as Sully helped Michaela out of their wagon. Sully and Cloud Dancing had been hunting together. She'd assumed they were both still out. But yesterday, she had seen Sully in town. And he had told her that they had been back from hunting for over two weeks. Sully looked up and waved to her. She lifted a hand half-heartedly before going back inside to set the type for her current print of the newspaper. After today, she'd clean up, and begin compiling stories for next week's addition. Every week, the same thing. In the past, writing had brought her comfort and security. She had a purpose. Then, realizing she would give it all up just for a chance to be with Cloud Dancing brought a new kind of clarity to her life. But, now, she wondered if she could trust her own feelings at all.

She heard a wagon passing, and ran out to meet it.

"Sully!" she called, hoping he would hear her over the din of rattles and clanks from the wagon. He pulled up short, and waved to her.

"Dorothy? Did you need something?"

"Have you seen Cloud Dancing lately?"

"I saw him this morning."

"How is he?"

Sully sat up taller, and stretched his back. He probably didn't realize it, but whenever he did that, it was a sign to her he was avoiding the truth. Not lying, not completely, but not being honest. Still, he did look her in the eye. Most folks didn't know how well writers could read people. If they did, they'd probably never talk to her at all.

"Well, he seemed fine. Busy, but fine." He looked away, down the street before he made eye contact again. Another sign he was hiding something.

"Good. That's good. Is he all settled on Daniel's land then?"

He stretched again. "He's decided to set up on my place. He said it wouldn't have felt right to be on Daniel's land without the other Cheyenne."

"I didn't know that." What else didn't she know? "Maybe I'll stop by and see him."

"I, uh, don't know if he's there now. He said something about hunting again. He's been in and out." Sully's words streamed quickly form his mouth.

"Well, then, I'll wait and see if he comes into town."

"Yeah, that's a good idea. I'd hate for you to drive out all that way and miss him. Well, I've got to go Dorothy."

"Sure. Have a nice day, Sully." He didn't look at her, but switched the reigns over the horse's backs and drove off.

Something was up, but she didn't know what. When she had last spoken to Cloud Dancing he had been excited to live on Daniel's land. And now he wasn't even there. She shook her head. Maybe Michaela would give her a straight answer. She was her best friend, after all.

Dorothy finished type setting and started to print the paper. By noon she had twenty copies. It was a slow process, but worth it. By evening, she would have 100 copies, all ready for her readers to buy. She had added two out of state columns to her front page. And best of all, her own column had been picked up by the Denver Times. They even suggested they had interested parties in adding it to their bigger city papers. Wouldn't that be something? Her column going nation wide.

Dorothy cleaned her hands off, wiping the ink onto her apron before abandoning the apron on the laundry heap. She brushed back her hair and headed over to the clinic. Michaela usually took a break for lunch to play with Katie and catch her breath. Her clientele had grown since the storm and the spa closing. They were rebuilding, but it would be some time before it was finished. And then she would be overseeing the clinic there until a real doctor could be convinced to come out. As much as she knew Michaela loved being the only doctor, Dorothy knew she needed help.

Dorothy knocked on the clinic door and peaked inside. Michaela was putting Katie's jacket on her.

"Did I catch you in time to share lunch over at Grace's?

"Oh, Dorothy. Actually, we've eaten our lunch early. I have an appointment outside town. Sully is coming by to get us."

"I see. Well, another time then." She smiled at Katie and Katie grinned back at her. "By the way, I heard Cloud Dancing is making his home out your way."

"Yes. I haven't been to see him there, yet. But Sully said it's coming along."

"I see." She reached out and brushed Katie's hair.

"Dorothy, is everything okay?"

"I don't know." She shrugged. "I haven't seen Cloud Dancing in two weeks. And now I find out he's moved onto your land, and I did't know he was doing that either. Michaela, I'm afraid I've made a mistake."

"A mistake?"

"About us. I thought," she broke off. "I guess I didn't read him right. And I read folks pretty well. I guess my own feelings go in the way."

"Dorothy, I don't think that's it. Really. I'll talk to Sully. I'm sure things aren't going the way you think. I've never seen Could Dancing so happy as when he's with you. His eyes literally light up when he sees you. Don't make any hasty judgments."

"I'll do my best. I had hoped you knew what was going on."

"I'm afraid I didn't know anything was, or I would have told you. I'll speak to Sully."

"I've already tried that." She laughed lightly.

"I'll get to the bottom of it. Indian ways are different than our ways…but two weeks is still two weeks!"

At least Michaela was as indignant as she was.

Dorothy walked back across the street, her anger rising. Why did she have to wait? Just because Sully told her to? She'd go out to their homestead and track down Cloud Dancing herself. The only thing she knew was she couldn't wait another week, or day, or even hour to know where she stood with the man.

As she entered the newspaper office, her resolve slipped. There were the papers to get out by deadline. She would have to wait until tomorrow.


	2. Chapter 2

Sully sat near the fire, watching Cloud Dancing eat his meal of cooked fish and corn.

"You've waited too long. She's worried about you. More than that, she's hurt. Michaela said she feels like she doesn't know where she stands with you."

Cloud Dancing ate in silence a few minutes more, pondering Sully's words. "How can she think this? Did we not sit under my cloak, sharing our pasts, talking about our present and dreaming of our future?"

"I don't think she realizes what that means. White women are different. They like to talk. A lot. About commitment and plans. You can't leave any room for doubt, or they _will_."

Cloud Dancing chewed on his lip. "Well, then, we'll finish tomorrow, and I'll ride to see her."

"Good." Sully rose to leave. "Rest well."


	3. Chapter 3

Dorothy rose early, dressed warmly against the cool autumn morning, and ate a little toast for breakfast. She ate out of necessity, not appetite. She hadn't been able to eat anything substantial for days. Her worry fed her heart and doubt ate away at her courage. The aroma of changing leaves on the crisp fall air, which would normally invigorate her, did little to cheer her today.

She was on her horse, and near the homestead before she thought what she might say. No words would come. She didn't want to appear desperate, or weak—but that is how she felt.

The homestead was empty; Michaela must have had an early morning. She slowed her horse, stopping in front of their house, tuning her ears for any sound that might lead her to Cloud Dancing.

There, in the distance, was a soft, low thud. Then a series of thuds. She walked her horse towards the noise. The thuds became hammer whacks. Down the road, several hundred feet from the main house, she stopped in front of a thicket of trees. There was a slight, thin path leading through them. She dismounted, and tied her horse to a nearby tree. Then she hiked up her skirt and headed up the incline, through the trees.

The thicket opened onto a narrow field. She would have never known it was there, if it hadn't been for the sound. In front of her stood a cabin house, a small house really, with a teepee attached to the right side. Cloud Dancing was on the roof, hammering shingles and singing a Cheyenne folk tune. Sully was bundling shakes and handing them up to cloud dancing. They both froze when they saw her.

Dorothy stood gaping. She had never imagined Cloud Dancing would be building a permanent house. Instead, she pictured him living in a teepee, moving when necessary, reawakening his nomadic life. Cloud Dancing, shirtless and sweat dripping from his face despite the cold weather, climbed down to meet her.

"Welcome." He wiped his hands on his leather britches, and held them out to her. She took them, but with hesitation.

"Good morning. I'm sorry to interrupt your work."

Sully stood with the shakes in his hand near the house. Cloud Dancing nodded to him. "Thank you for coming. I will see you later." Sully laid the shakes down and smiled at them both before retreating to the safety of the bushes.

"Is this _your_ house?"

"Yes."

"It's nice." Her emotions were in turmoil. When had he decided to do all of this?

He put his hand out to her again. "Let me show you around."

She gave him her hand, feeling his strong sure grip, and let him lead her literally around the house. The cabin was twenty feet long, by fifteen feet wide. The window frames had been filled with glass. Around the front steps, there were lavender bushes, recently planted. They were going dormant now, but Dorothy knew their spring fragrance would last long into next summer. They walked to the back of the house, where a large plot for a garden had been cleared. And nearby a fire pit waited, with a laundry tub over it. To the far left there was a drying line for wash. Far to the right there was a stone lined path leading into the bushes. He pulled her there, and they walked through to an open space near a creek.

"I didn't know a creek ran up here." It was beautiful. The clearing was hemmed in ferns, and a rock bench had been made. Here was another fire pit, with a large copper bathtub positioned over it.

Cloud Dancing, a man of few words, said "for bathing." She smiled, and unwillingly pictured herself bathing in such a lovely setting. She shook the mental image from her mind as he led her back to the house. To the far left of the house was a horse pen, and small shelter.

"I have not completed the barn. I have traded many furs for a cow. When the shelter and pen are complete, I'll go and get it."

She glanced in question at him. A cow? Why would he need a cow? Then he showed her another pen, covered in wire.

"For the chickens." His tone was sure, as if it were no surprise at all that he would have chickens.

Now he really had her confused. "You'll raise chickens?"

He only smiled and led her to the back steps of the house. He led her up and opened the door. Inside, a cheery kitchen met her, with many cabinets and a sink. Off to her right was a door. He opened it and inside she saw a toilet. There was a water pipe leading to the flush basin. "Water must be added from outside. Sully showed me how to make a holding tank and gave me the pipe." Her frown deepened. An indoor out-house?

He led her further into the kitchen, past the sink, with pump, past the table and chairs. He turned and showed her the only other door way. "That leads to the teepee. I have slept on the ground my whole life. I cannot imagine doing anything else."

"Of course not." It made perfect sense. It was the only thing that did. She felt him pull her to the kitchen table. He motioned for her to sit. She did. He motioned for her to look out the window. There, she could just see over the tops of the trees and down into the valley below. The color of the changing leaves, the deep yellow ochre of the grassy fields, and the rusty red of the clover took her breath away.

"What do you think?"

"It's so beautiful. Cloud Dancing, it's all lovely." She looked around the large room, seeing two chairs flanking a fireplace, a chest of drawers, and a long bench. There were built in bookcases all around the room, empty as if waiting to be filled. The kitchen cabernets, too, were empty.

Satisfied with her answer, he smiled. Then he pulled her up from her chair and led her out the front door, down a path, up a slight incline to a rocky spot. He sat her down. There, as well, she could see the valley below. She could see the stumps of the logs he had fallen; she could hear the creek rolling in the background and smell the freshly turned earth of the garden spot. Near her feet were many more transplanted lavender bushes, their sweet earthy aroma still lingering in the air.

"I don't think I've ever seen a prettier spot. You'll be happy here."

He knelt down beside her and took her hands. "But will you?"

Her eyes went wide a moment, and were suddenly rimmed in tears. "I don't understand."

"Dorothy, do you not know what it means when a brave shares his cloak with you?"

"I suppose not." Her brows furrowed. "If you mentioned it, I don't remember."

Cloud Dancing gathered her fingers to his lips and he kissed them. His eyes twinkled at her. "When a brave shares his cloak, or blanket, it is a kind of engagement." Her eyes widened again. "I should have been more clear."

"I don't know what to say."

He looked intently into her eyes and he kept her hands at his chest. "Dorothy, for many years I have fought for freedom. My family has died in this fight, my tribe is gone. My people are far to the north, and I was alone. Until now, I too felt as though I would die, even wished for it. Until you became my friend." He took a deep breath and continued. "Now, I have land on which to live, a new family with Sully and Michaela, I can come and go as I please, and hunt anywhere any man can." He paused again, his voice lowering in seriousness. "But none of it means anything without you by my side."

"Oh, Cloud Dancing." Her voice shook with emotion. How could she have doubted him?

"I have nothing to offer you except this home, and this land. Is it enough?"

"Those months ago, I meant what I said. You are enough." She put her hand to his cheek and he held it there, kissing her palm.

"I never thought my heart would sing again for another. But today, my heart sings louder than I ever thought possible. Will you be my mate, Dorothy?"

"Yes."

He pulled her to him, kissing her openly, with abandon. Her blood pounded in her ears as her body melded to his. His embrace strengthened her, and she knew she would never doubt him again.


End file.
